Fifth wheel



Jan. 18, 1949. l

E. P. KINNE -FIFTH WHEEL Filed Sept. 25, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 1s, 1949. a E. R ,(.N'NE y 2,459g772 f FIFTH WHEEL Filed sept'. 25, 1944 4 sheets-sheet 2 Jan. 18, 1949. t E, P, KlNNE I 2,459,772

FIFTH WHEEL Filed sept. 25, 1944 4 sheets-sheet 's lIN V EN TOR;

E. P.,K|NNE FIFTH WHEEL Jan. 18, 1949.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed sept. 2.5,. i944 m nO IN VEN TOR.

Patented Jan. 18, 1949 I invention relatea to .a-. couplinggdevicefor vehicle: units.k and. more.. particularly: toa: a.. fth wheel for tractortrailer combinations.

' Aniobiectfof... my invention; is-,to provide a@ vfifth wheel adapted to. bexinsertedbetween. a. tractor and.`- trailer which isof.--simnlc-4 construction and can. loe; readily:y and.- economically manufactured.

Another object of. m, invention-..130 provide a...fth.wheelharingJa..novel lockingarra-ngement associated-with oneof` theivehiclesot: attractortraileri combination. for positii/tely4 and.. automatif interlocking.. the.; same. with. the. draf-tl. pin associated. with .the other; vehicle.

Ajurthen; obiectofi my.. inveiartioxristot provide, imsuchJQcEing arrangement, .means--.:fo1 v holding the locking member.. opencpositien. for. couE nliaeigE with thefdraft; pin.y a.nd..A also.` automatic means for. releasing.; the,holding meanssovthat thelocking; member., iaactuated trimm-flocking a position Kto. complete?.the` coupling..1

A- still.. Dinther. object.. of. my invention: isTA to provideaifth Wheel'1 whereina generouscbearing is'. afrdedri on.. the draftgpinc. so. to minimize weanandibendingectiononthe pin..

Imthedraxizings.;4

Eignrel attori plamvieva ot theftractor.. plate my i nventic'ing;` Figure 2;f is.4 a. side eievationiofittieesame...

Ei"gures.i.41 5;,aind-6 are sectionalviewsctaken on.tlie.,line A.A. of.`Eigi1re.2,Eigures 3;. 4 and-5 being; shown. with.. the, spiral spring.: removed to morcleany. illustratejthe relatizre.positionfoffthe dm'ingg variousstages.. of! coupling@ and um coupling; Figure 3' sliowing the relativeassocia tion.. of; parts .in unlocked.. position.- before..uncou Figure. 4; showing, the.. same. atter: unconpling.; .Eigureldisclosinggthe same after coupling andlbieireeleckingg., and. Eignre 6l showing the samev in4 their. coupledl andllockedpostions...

Eigures a..sectiona1vew taken-..in` thee planes represented by. the liiiaBl-Bofj.

Figure 8C is alsectionaliview takenomthe .line CLC oFigure-.l

Figure, gis. a,bottom..view;=oftheecentrarportion ofthe tract'orrplatei` Figure IlOis;a1 side elevation. ofthe same..

Referring to; the., drawings.. fnya more detailed description oftlie `preferred;emhodinentitiiereiic i'llustrat'ed, the reierence` numeral; ZJ designates the; tractor plate ifn. the form oflaiiftli wheel, 'saidc plate..having;` a; cylindrical Housing.; 4 cast integrali tlierevvfi't'ii* on` tlie" under.Y sideV thereof. Thef plate; #may bef.A pivotaip mounted on. the tractorfliyproviding; suitablerbracketst. onion@ limite:sidesofiC saidpites operrlngsiih alignment.- with an:A opening. 1,0 inv each; of; the associated supporting.; brackets I2;` for. receiving pins lill.l The rea-r enchof.the'plate-2fslopes down-.- Wardly and) comprises. the... inwardly, extending wings.. L6 having: the.. upperbearing.. surfaces I8 upon. which.' the..traiien fifth wheel. plate (not shown), is adapted. to., ride. during.- coupling anchuncouplingofl the tractor. andltrailer.. The wings. |16 define1-a'..vshaped.openingfor receiving andi gnidingthe. depending, draftor king. pin 22 of the..trailerfplate.;(notashown intol an opening or. jaw'. 205 in. the. central.` portion, of. the. tractor plate arnirvvithin..thef :housing 4f when the tractor istbackedz. toward-tha trailer. during. thecoupling operation..

Received. withimth'e housing Ais. a..cylindrica1 member.. 2'4' comrmisi-ngi the. annular; Wall 25S having the. outer surface.. thereofc accurately machined; concentric withi the.. inner. surface.: of theahousing.dtmformiasliding bearingt there: between. Theengaggurtaces on .themember 2T, andlhousing 4. maybe. made. smooth .to alford relative.. rotation therebetween. during, locking.. of the. king-pin 2-2-byf thamember 2.4i. as. described .hereinafter.,..l

The locking memberalso comprises atopnwall 2B :and a depending. inner wai1f28. formedto provide; aa jaw 31D coniormi1'1gL to the. shapel of' the openingr 20 in. the.. plate.. 2. and;` communicating therewithT said WalL 28,'.1mergingf` with.. the Wall 25.. at; 321 and; 33i and? also.` connected: thereto by Webs'-34l` and 362.. Itrmayhefnotedi-that. tlfieidis.-V tance between. theiopnoste sides. on. thewallA 281, deningthe jaw `3li",` ,arf1d thewidth .of the. opening llinitheplate 23. are` of! a,.width complementary top-the large.. diameter 31S ofltheking pi`n122r for slilaiily receiving; and; guiding., the-fsame during coupling.r :and "unconplng.. The. cylindrical. k-ing pin. 22 has.vv a.. reduced..central.portion.r or. small diameter 38,'forming-a: groot/atlierearoundv and sliduloly', engaging. the.. guiiie..welo' 411". provided abetween. tine-..toigrl and'.bott,om..of; the. WcalLZiB` The arcuate .endlportionn the. jawY 3.0. comprises.a the wall 28` and its` web@ 4llLformecL concentric. with. the large.y diameter 37S and. the small. diameterB- of tlealiinggppih., 22j respectively;V for. engagement therewith. Wiien.'the.-.1ing pin 22..is..cou1;l1edJv with the. tractor, Wheel.' plate 2; aesiiown in. Figlf ures 3; 4,' 5j and 8l.

The member 2'4i`s heldy within the. 11o-using 4 adjacent. the, pl'ate...2by., aecoizer plate 42' (Figures Walt'. 2E' of; the member.' 24". and.` attached to fthe and 30 whereby the king pin is interlocked.

with the member 24 and prevented from withdrawal from the plate 2, thus securely connecting the tractor and trailer under service conditions While permitting relative pivotal movement therebetween in a substantially horiaontal'plane.

It may be noted that uncoupling of the tractor and trailer by vertical movement'of theipin relaof the web 40 of the member 24 in the groovein the kingtpin. e L flo-rotate the member 24 vto its pin-locking position and also to prevent rotation of the member 24 under service conditions yto a position perf mitting unwanted withdrawal of the Kingpin 2 2r, 'the cover plate 42 is provided with a lsquare post centrally thereofv for attaching the rin nerendof the spiral spring 46 thereto; the outer end of said'spring being attached to a post 48 on` the-member '24,V as'shown in Figuresf and 8,

saidjspring expanding to the position shown in 'l Figures 1 and 6 and rotating the member'24 .to interlock the" king pin 22 therewith. The spring `46 is vheld againsti lateral displacement by positioning "the edges'on one side thereof flush with the upper surface ofthe plate 42 and by'forming thejwebs V34v and 3E `with downwardly extending portions 50 and 52 (Figure 7) engaging the edges on thel opposite side of thespring. In assemblinglthe member 2 4 with the housingy4, the spiral spring46 is placed over thepost'48 lof theymember-24 and the cover plate is then ro"- tated'one or more revolutions toplacejinitial tension on the spring Vso vthat uponexpansion of the same the locking member24 willvbe'actuf- 45 ated to pin-locking position as shownin Figures rand 6.v o Inuncoupling the tractor and trailer, .the king pin 22 is unlocked from themember 24 by manually operable means for overcoming the tension of the spring 46 and returning the member 24 to the position shown' in Figure 3"'whereat the socket defined by the jaws 20 and 3 0 is'opened to accommodate removal of theking pin 22. Refferring'now to Figures 2, 9, and 10, r these means comprise a lever54 pivotally' attached at one vend thereof to a pin 55 fixed to the bottom of the plate 42, said lever having a slot 56 in its 'other end receiving a'pin 58 secured to a lug 50 on the bottom edgeof the member 24 and projecting outwardly through a slot between the cover plate and the bottom of the housing. A pull rod or actuating lever 64 is pivotally attachedto an ofiset portion of the lever 54 intermediate the ends thereof at 66 so that by pulling on therod 6 4 to thel position shown in dotted linesin Figure v9 the memberk24 willbe rotated from the position shown in Figures 1 and 6 to the unlocked position shown in Figure 3 Where the locking arrange'- ment is shown in open position.` j

A feature rkof the present invention is the provision of a lockset or interlocker for holding the locking member 24 in 'openposition for coupling and including automatic means or releaser vfor releasing the lockset upon' reception'of thegking pin in-the jaw 30 of the member 24l so that the locking member 24 will be actuated by the spring 46 to return to locked position to complete the coupling of the king pin with the tractor plate 2. To this end and referring now to Figure 3, the Wall 25 of the member 24 is formed with a boss 68 having an annular recess 'l0 and an openingfm communicating t herewithand anordlin'gfa passageV reoeivin'glma resilient; "oo nipressible latch|` or`in'ter'locler unit comprising 4a spring- `controlled plunger 14, said plunger comprising 'an interlocking member or shoe 16 in the form of "fa 4flanged bushing seated on the edge of the boss deiiningthe opening and slidably engaging the ;walls* ii the rece'ssgjas shown in Figure 4, and a rodlIB-fconnected'to the shoe by means of a pin 5U.' `The rod 'I8 is' provided with a slot 82 re- 'ceivingthepin'for permitting relative movetive to the plate 2 is prevented by thereception ment between the rod and shoe. The lower endo'f `the rod 'I8 is formed with an enlarged portion 86 providing shoulders in abutment with aispring surrounding the rod and compressed between said shoulders and-said shoe.l A-The portion 86 ofthe `rbd'l'extendsthrough an open-- ingl in the ywall'28'an'd web 40 'in alignment'with ateend isi-receivedwithin the groove in the king pin-rer engagement v1'with the Smau diameter thereof, as shown-in Figure 3. The housing 4 i'sprovided with achainberedportion'or passage 9o receiving aresilient, compressiblereleaser unit vcnnprising a f plunger `92 reciprocal 'therein' land. surrounded by a spring '94 ycoinprrs sed between the housing andthefenlarg'ed head 'of' the plun'gvr` er 92 "for urging the' sarnar intoY engagement; with ofA the portionr 9U' is -formedy with'v a recess 96 "re` ceivin'g therewithinthe'shoe A'I6` Vfor preventing rotation vof the member 24` bythe yspring 45 for, upon bringing tliejplungers into' alignment by the rotation of the member24 bythe pull rod 64, the shoe'lS Willbe autcnnaticallyfA moved by the expans-ion off' the spring 83 to the position Ashown in"Figure '3 whereinfthejjaw 30 of themember 24 is in registry withfthe apertureZ v inthe plate 2 andthe recess'i inl themembrf24jand the recess 96 in the housing'- 4- are' in "alignment whereby -the shoe-willbe urged into the.' recess 9,6 by the spring 88 for preventing the member y24gfrom returning to thefpo's'ition shown in'Figure 6'. It willbesapparentthatgthe.capaoitygiof the "'springj 94 must 'be less than ithe capacityk ci spring i `88 f in order fto actuate .the shoe 16 finto the recessv 96 in the housing in thejjust-lescribed operation `-':r' 4' e ly- Lvi- In operation; 'and' referring, now tot 'Figurej' ill'llsilatingffthe POStQnoffthe parts after'ung locking the KingpinA A22; 'frorn' 'the member 12:4, the king pin is shownin coupled position inferir gagementi with the' endiof 'tlji'eplunger 14 atlil 00'. Assuming thefkingpin i`s to` be uncoupledI from the mail iheking' ,pin'is -shownfin 'tiene '4 as being-withdrawn from the "jaw foifgthefrnemf bei- 24 inthe direetion of tne-a1rowsi'r1isaidfig: ure. In this figure, it will'be ev'dentlthaudue to the contour of the web .40 andftlie lonset:fportion 1029i the'wall28Ithfsmall diameter-:lof 1111.9. king. .Spin f l Willi .'fllS'A COIEQ'G i the. i'Wb." :40) at I 041 andthe large diameter of the pin, 's ho'wn I in m 'dotted lines' in different' positions Tassume'ddurf ing uncoupling; Vwill then contactvthe wall' 28l at causing the locking Vmember 24 to rotate and relieve' the pressure 'on-the plunge'r14 las atj I!l 8 in Figure,3 allowing thelplungerto exildfto'," its Imaijrimum -positiofnfas shown in rFig'- urev 4. "A's the plungereiip'an'ds, the action of to4 saidfmembers and extending within-said socket andengageable with said members for holding the same in lockset position permitting uncoupling,` said `'holding Vmeans including automatic means for releasing said members from lockset position upon .engagement of said pintherewith during coupling of said pin with said device.

-9. A vehicle couplingy device adapted to coact with a: draft pin comprising amember having a substantially cylindrical inner surface, a 'cylindricalv member ,rotatably mounted in said member in engagement with the surface thereof, said members having radial passages leading to central alignedl openings therein for guiding said pin.into said cylindrical member for coupling, the openings in said members providing aA pinreceiving socket, and torsion spring means housed Within said cylindrical member and connected thereto andto the other member; for rotating said cylindrical member relative to /the Yother member for locking said pin with said device, and means independent. .of said? first-mentioned means for rotating said member to its initial pin` unlocking position. I

10. A vehicle coupling device .adapted to coact with a draft pin comprising a housing, a cylindrical member rotatably mounted within said housing, av central opening in said member and housing receiving said pin and communicating with parallel radial passages therein for guiding said pin into` said opening, said member having a portion in the central openingthereof in engagement with a groove around said pin, spring means housed within said member andl connected there-` to and to said housing for rotating said member to lock'said pin with said device, and means for restoring said member to initial pin-unlocking position; l

11. A vehicle coupling device adapted to coact with a draft pin comprising two relatively rotatable cylindrical members in telescopic engagement, said members having aligned openings at the axis 'of rotation thereof for .receiving said pin and alignedpassages leading thereto, means for rotatingone of said members relative to the other of said members for locking said pin with said. device, and means associated with said memvbers and .extending into the openings in said members for holding said members in lockset position whereby said pin may be uncoupled from said device.

12. A vehicle coupling device adapted to coact with a draft pin comprising two telescoping relatively rotatable members having complementary'engaged cylindrical surfaces and radial passages leading to centralaligned openings defining a pin-receiving socket therein for respectively guiding and receiving said pin for coupling, means for rotating one of said members to lock said pin with said coupler, means for rotating said last-mentioned member to pin-iunlocking position,` and means extending within said socket and movable relativeto said members for holding said last-mentioned member in lockset positionwhereby uncoupling may be effected at will, said holding means being released upon engagement of vsaid pin therewith.

13.- A vehicle coupling device adapted to coact with a draft pin comprising two telescoping relatively movable members having engaged cylindrical surfaces, parallel radialpassages in corresponding ends thereof leading to aligned central-openings therein for guiding said pin into coupling position, the openings in said members dellning "pin-'receiving' socket, means for holding said .members in pin-unlocking position, said holding meansV being automatically released upon movement of said pin into. said socket, and torsion spring Vmeans housed in said inner member and connected thereto and to the outer member for rotating one of. said members relative to the othermember upon reception of said pin in said socket for locking said pin withsaid device.

.14. -A vehicle coupling device adapted to coact with'a draft pincomprising two telescoping relatively movable members having engaged complementary. cylindrical surfaces, each of said members having a radial passage in corresponding fend walls thereof leading to a central draft pin socket `therein for guiding said pin into coupling position, spring-actuated means engag'eable` with said pin and holding said members in pin-locking position, saidvmeans being released' uponl movement of said pin into engageme'nt therewith, andsspring-actuated means indpendentof said first-mentioned means for rotating one'of said members relative to the other member for locking said pin with said device.

15. A vehicle coupling device adapted to coact with a draft element comprising two rrelatively rotatable members having aligned guides for said elementleading to openings disposed at the axisy of i rotation thereof and defining an element-receiving socket, releasable interengaging means carried by said members to prevent relative rotation of said members in element-unlocking position, said means being released by engagement of said pin therewith upon movement of said element into said socket for coupling,and means for relatively rotating said members to elementlocking position upon release of said interengaging means.

` 16.A .vehicle coupling device adapted to coact with a draft element comprising two relatively rotatable members having aligned guides for said element leading to openings `disposed at the axis ofrotation thereof and defining an element-receiving socket, means for relatively rotating said members to element-unlocking and -locking positions, and means carried by each of said members and actuable by movement of said pin into and out of engagement therewith for engagement with the other of said. members for preventing relative `rotation of saidmembers upon disposition of said members in element-coupling and -uncoupling positions.

r17. A vehicle coupling device adapted to coact with 4a draft element comprising a housing, a locking member rotatably mounted in said housing, said member and housing having aligned passages for guiding' said element leading to an element-receiving socket therein at the axis of rotation thereof, means for holding said member in element-unlocking position, and automatically operating means extending within said socket and engageable with said element for releasing said holding means upon coupling of said ele-k ment withi said member, and means for rotating said member.

A18; A vehicle coupling device adapted to coact with adraft element comprising-a plurality of relatively movable members having aligned guide passagesv for said element leading to openings therein receiving said element for coupling, said members being relatively movable to dlsalign said passages to lock said element with said device and to 'alignsaid passages to unlock said element from said device, means for relatively moving said members, and means extending within said openings and' movable vrelative to said members fantasma for holding 'sain members im element-unlocking means upon coupling ofsaid'lemeritwith said device. f

19o Arvehicle coupling device adaptedfto-coact with .a draft element comprising a plurali-,typt memberswhaving aligned -openings de-ninga socketfor-said element and being -relatively-movable to lock and unlock said element therewith, means carried by each member and movable relative thereto and having engagement with the other member for preventing relative movement of said members in their element-unlocking position, said means being released by engagement of said element therewith upon disposition of said element in coupling relationship with said device, and means for relatively moving said members to lock said element therewith upon release of said means.

20. A vehicle coupling device adapted to coact with a draft pin comprising two telescoping relatively movable members having engaged complementary cylindrical surfaces, each of said members having a radial passage leading to a central pin-receiving socket for guiding said pin therein into coupling position, means carried by said members and extending therethrough and into said socket for engagement by said pin and releasably maintaining said members in pin-unlocking position, release of said means being effected by movement of said pin into said socket and engagement with said means, and means automatically rotating one of said members relative to the other member for locking said pin to said device upon coupling.

21. A vehicle coupling device adapted to coact with a coupling element and comprising relatively movable members having element-receiving portions adapted in the locked position of said members to dene a closed socket formed and arranged to confine said element, said portions being adapted in the unlocked position of said members to define an open socket accommodating insertion and removal of said element, a releasable interlocker carried by one of said members and engageable with the other oi said members for locking said members in their unlocked position, a releaser carried by said other member formed and arranged to abut against said interlocker in the unlocked position of said members and projecting into the element-receiving portion of one of said members for engagement with said element as the latter is inserted into said open socket for actuation by said element to effect release of said interlocker, and means for moving at least one of said members relative to the other to the locked position thereof upon release of said interlocker.

22. A vehicle coupling device adapted to coact with a coupling element and comprising relatively movable members each having a jaw, said jaws being adapted in the locked position of said members to dei-lne a closed socket formed and arranged to conne said element thereby interlocking the same with saidl device and being adapted in the unlocked position of said members to dene an open socket formed and arranged to accommodate insertion and removal of said= element with respect to said device, means for holding said members in the unlocked position thereof comprising a passage in one of the members communicating with the open socket, and a compressible, resilient latch unit carried by the other member and projecting into said passage ifnrilatching'said members against fmovement fito ith'ir docked position, 'and means -rfor fi'automatically zreleasing :said latch unit :compris- --ing-faresilienccompressible freleaser `unit -housed within said passage and engageable with the latch `Eunit, l:said releaser unit having greater resistance to compression than said latch unit and extending into said open socket for compression by said coupling element as the latter moves into said open socket thereby compressing said releaser unit and urging said latch unit from said passage to accommodate relative movement of said members to the locked position thereof, and means for effecting relative movement of said members to the locked position thereof when said latch unit is urged from said passage.

23. A coupling device adapted to coact with a coupling element and comprising relatively movable members each having a jaw, said jaws being formed and arranged to dei-lne a closed socket in the locked position of said members and to afford an open socket in the unlocked position of said members, means for holding said members in the unlocked position thereof comprising communicating passages in said members, and a compressible latch unit bearing against one of said members and extending through the passage therein into the passage of the other member to latch said members against relative movement to the locked position thereof, a compressible releaser unit within the last-mentioned passage and engageable with the latch unit, said releaser unit extending from the last-mentioned passage into one of the jaws defining the open socket and being adapted to engage said element as the latter enters said open socket, said releaser unit having greater resistance to compression than the latch unit whereby the latter is urged from the last-mentioned passage by the releaser unit as said element enters said open socket and compresses said releaser unit, and spring means for urging one of the members to locked position when the latch unit is urged from the last-mentioned passage.

24. A vehicle coupling device adapted to coact with a coupling element and comprising relatively movable members having engaged bearing surfaces and each having a jaw, said jaws being adapted in the locked position of said members to dene a closed socket formed and arranged to confine said element and said jaws being adapted in the unlocked position of said members to afford an open socket formed and arranged to accommodate entrance and removal of said element, means for latching said members in the locked position thereof comprising a passage in one of the members extending from the bearing surface thereof and communicating with one of the jaws defining said open socket, a passage in the other member extending from the bearing surface thereof, a compressible, resilient latch unit in the last-mentioned passage reacting against said other member and extending into the first-mentioned passage to interlock said members against relative movement to their locked position, and means for releasing said latch unit comprising a compressible releaser unit having greater resistance to compression than said latch unit, said releaser unit being disposed within the first-mentioned passage and having one end thereof bearing against one end of said latch unit, the opposite end of said releaser unit extending into said one jaw for com-V pression by said element as the latter is entered into said open socket, and said releaser unit being 1l partially aligned withthebearing surface of said o. Y REFERENCES CITED other member for compression against the last' The following references are of record in the mentioned vbearing surface after said latch unitl o has been urged from the mst-mentioned passage. me of this patent' 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS EDMUND P. KINNE. Namber Name Date 1,870,502 Fuhrman Allg. 9, 1932 2,072,661 Walther et al. Mal. 2, 1937 2,077,484 King Apr. 20, 1937 

